I Sold My Early Production Rivian R1T After 54,000 Miles And 17 Repair Requests In 3 Years While My Wife's 2023 R1S Has Been Nearly Flawless

Being an early adopter of revolutionary technology has always carried both the thrill of pioneering and the burden of debugging. In the automotive world, this dynamic becomes particularly pronounced with startup manufacturers attempting to challenge established players. 

David Criswell's experience with his early-production Rivian R1T exemplifies this reality perfectly. As one of the first customers to place an order within the first week of reservations in 2018, and taking delivery of VIN #75xx in June 2022, his three-year, 54,000-mile journey offers invaluable insights into the promises and pitfalls of electric truck ownership from a fledgling manufacturer.

Criswell's decision to sell his Rivian wasn't driven by catastrophic failure or a single deal-breaking issue. Instead, it was the accumulation of persistent problems that gradually eroded his confidence in the vehicle's long-term reliability. His experience highlights a fundamental challenge facing new automotive companies: while they may excel at revolutionary concepts and major engineering achievements, the devil often lies in the details that established manufacturers have spent decades perfecting.

“Well, I sold my Rivian.

I was one of the really early folks to order - within the first week, they started taking reservations at the end of 2018.  I finally took delivery from Atlanta in June of 2022.  It was an early truck, VIN # 75xx.  It was my primary vehicle for 3 years and 3 months, and I put 54,000 miles on it.  But I couldn’t do it anymore.  I sooo badly wanted this truck to last for 200k miles.  I hate changing cars.  But after 3+ years of ownership, I had little confidence in its ability to meet my expectations. 

First, let's cover the good stuff:

#1, the battery and motors were flawless.

#2, it never once left me stranded.

#3, It was more of a work truck than an adventure vehicle for me, and it always did what I needed it to. I towed with it, threw stuff in the back, kept my tools in the front trunk, etc, and it was awesome. I couldn't ask for a more utilitarian vehicle.

Overall, I loved the Rivian and couldn't have been happier with the truck as it was delivered.  So why did I sell it?

A few reasons.  First, the warranty was about to be up. And there were lots of problems. Far more than I could have imagined. I had 17 repair requests in ~3 years, and many of these had ~10 items listed on them.

Most were not catastrophic problems, but nagging problems. Like that old shoulder injury you've got. Where it's not right, but you just live with it.

The tonneau cover broke. They fixed it. It broke again. They fixed it again. It broke again. That was one of the main features that sold me on the Rivian to begin with. They fixed it 2 weeks ago, and it was broken again within a week.

During the time I had it, it never really tracked straight.  I tried getting an alignment a bunch of times, and they got close, but, it was never really perfect.  Also, if I took my foot off the accelerator, the steering wheel lurched to the right.  It did that since day one. 

The dash started rattling. They fixed it. It started rattling again.  They fixed it again.  It started rattling again.

The interior light stopped turning on by touch. I could still turn it on via the screen, but that's too much effort. A 1996 Toyota Camry map light still turns on the way it should. But my 3-year-old truck can't? The replacement broke within 2 months.

The front trunk had power open/close. But, if someone who didn't know that forced it closed, it would often need recalibrated - something an owner wasn't able to do.

At ~40,000 miles, the front CV joints/axles/half shafts (whatever you want to call them) started making noise. I had to argue with the service center that this wasn't normal. Finally, they agreed to replace them.  The frustrating part was that I saw posts (in this group) from others who got theirs replaced without the fight. Rivian acknowledged that the early trucks had inferior axles, and there was an improved replacement. But I had to fight to get it covered under warranty?

Further increasing my frustrations was the service center.  First, you can't call them directly. All calls go through the main Rivian call center in Illinois. It was a game of phone tag involving a 3rd party to get an answer on anything.  This is a company losing a billion dollars a year, and they have an unnecessary middleman playing goalie to my ability to talk directly with the service center who is working on my truck?!? It makes no sense.

Look, building cars is hard. I get it. And they got the big stuff right. I had a truck that ran and drove. It has a battery and motors that have an incredibly low failure rate. It's quiet and comfortable. They did it!!

So how are you going to get the little stuff wrong?? Map lights, driveshafts (which have been around for 100 years), dash cover rattles, and weatherstripping that it took me 3 service trip visits to get repaired! A hood that I can't open and shut manually without breaking? And I can't even pick up the phone and dial the service center???

My last other major complaint is software, software updates, and specifically self-driving.  Ya know, we were promised for years that improved self-driving was coming.  Sadly, nearly 7 years after the Rivian trucks were initially announced, the Rivian had about the same autonomous driving ability as my wife’s old 2014 MDX.  Sure, it could hold a lane and not rear-end someone on the interstate, but it stopped there.  Ford, GM, and obviously Tesla are light years ahead.  And the salt on the open wound is that Rivian essentially abandoned the 1st Gen owners, the ones who gave money early on and then waited and waited.  We kept being told that substantial improvements were coming.  Yet, they never did.   And now it’s almost guaranteed that they won’t.  That’s tough to accept.

The software experience started out pretty solid.  But, 3 years in, the infotainment computer was slow and laggy.  Yes, there were things added during that time, but a 3-second wait to switch from the energy screen to the nav screen is unacceptable.

The funny part of my reliability complaints is that my wife got a 2023 R1S that was built about 50,000 units after mine, and it's been nearly flawless. Tale of 2 trucks.

So, here is my advice to folks thinking of buying a used Rivian:  Don’t buy one of the first 50,000 built, and make sure you’ve got a little warranty left on it to work through any problems that might crop up.   

I have no problem recommending them, but I absolutely wouldn't buy an early truck that's out of warranty.  I’ve seen plenty of other posts/comments here that back that up.

I want Rivian to succeed. I think the R2 will be a MASSIVE success. And they're like 95% there. But they have to fix some of the little stuff.  The R1T is so incredibly complex.  Some of it is great.  But there's no excuse for over-engineering a map light to the point that it fails twice in the warranty period. I'd rather it work basically, than not work complicatedly.”

His reluctance to give up on the vehicle is palpable. This wasn't a buyer looking for an excuse to move on to the next shiny object, but rather someone who genuinely wanted the Rivian to succeed and become his long-term transportation solution. The fact that he "hated changing cars" makes his decision all the more significant, suggesting that the problems he encountered were substantial enough to overcome his natural inclination to stick with what he had.

The Paradox of Excellence and Frustration

What makes Criswell's experience particularly compelling is his acknowledgment of what Rivian got right. The fundamental aspects of the electric truck, the battery, motors, and core functionality, performed flawlessly throughout his ownership. The vehicle never left him stranded and consistently delivered on its primary mission as a work truck. This creates a fascinating paradox where the most complex and revolutionary aspects of the vehicle worked perfectly, while simpler, more traditional components caused ongoing frustration.

First, let's cover the good stuff: #1, the battery and motors were flawless. #2, it never once left me stranded. #3, It was more of a work truck than an adventure vehicle for me, and it always did what I needed it to. I towed with it, threw stuff in the back, kept my tools in the front trunk, etc, and it was awesome. I couldn't ask for a more utilitarian vehicle. Overall, I loved the Rivian and couldn't have been happier with the truck as it was delivered. So why did I sell it?

The answer lies in the accumulation of what he describes as "nagging problems", issues that individually might be tolerable but collectively create a death-by-a-thousand-cuts scenario. Seventeen repair requests over three years, with many containing multiple items, paint a picture of a vehicle that required constant attention despite its fundamental competence. This experience isn't unique to Criswell, as other early Rivian owners have reported similar patterns of persistent issues that affect daily usability.

Heller Gregory offered a contrasting perspective, highlighting how experiences can vary dramatically even among early adopters.

I'm almost 3 years in, had a suspension issue first week & nothing since. As much as self-driving sounds cool, I was behind a truck when the exhaust pipe fell off & I was able to quickly maneuver around it. I've also avoided 2 head-ons.

Gregory's experience demonstrates the variability inherent in early production vehicles. While Criswell battled recurring issues with tonneau covers, dashboard rattles, and alignment problems, Gregory enjoyed relatively trouble-free ownership after an initial suspension problem. This disparity underscores the quality control challenges facing new manufacturers and the lottery-like nature of early adoption.

The Service Center Struggle

Perhaps more frustrating than the mechanical issues themselves was Criswell's experience with Rivian's service infrastructure. The inability to contact service centers directly, instead having to go through a central call center in Illinois, created unnecessary friction in an already stressful situation. For a company losing billions annually, the decision to insert a middleman between customers and service technicians seems counterproductive.

This is a company losing a billion dollars a year, and they have an unnecessary middle man playing goalie to my ability to talk directly with the service center who is working on my truck?!? It makes no sense.

This service model reflects broader challenges in scaling customer support for a rapidly growing company. While the centralized approach might work for simple inquiries, it becomes problematic when dealing with complex, ongoing issues that require direct communication with the technicians performing the work. Other Rivian owners have experienced mixed results with service centers, with some reporting excellent experiences while others face extended delays and communication problems.

The Technology Promise vs. Reality

One of Criswell's most pointed criticisms centered on Rivian's software development and autonomous driving capabilities. Despite years of promises about improved self-driving features, the truck's capabilities remained essentially unchanged from delivery, offering basic lane-keeping and adaptive cruise control that paled in comparison to competitors like Tesla, Ford, and GM.

Michael Mundy, coming from a Tesla background, echoed similar disappointments with Rivian's technology development.

Well said. Coming from a Tesla, the technology is disappointing. They kept promising better, but were still waiting. My lease is up in two months, and there are a few things I'll miss about her, but not enough to look at keeping or another Rivian.

Mundy's perspective as a Tesla owner provides valuable context. Tesla has set expectations for over-the-air updates that continuously improve vehicle functionality, making Rivian's slower pace of development particularly noticeable. The fact that he's choosing not to renew his lease suggests that technology stagnation can be just as damaging to customer retention as mechanical problems.

Criswell's response to Mundy highlighted another frustration: resource allocation that seemed to prioritize features nobody requested while ignoring fundamental improvements that customers actually wanted.

It's funny because they've devoted time to stuff no one cares about, but also, ignored some really important stuff that Tesla has had for years. Further, I think the Gen1 computers are about maxxed out. That, or it's got crappy code. But, the computers should not be as slow as they are. No excuse for the lag the current software versions exhibit.

This observation touches on a critical issue for technology-focused companies: the temptation to add new features rather than perfecting existing ones. The suggestion that first-generation computers might be "maxed out" raises questions about the long-term viability of early vehicles and whether hardware limitations will prevent them from receiving meaningful updates.

Technology Development Concerns

• Promised improvements in self-driving capabilities that never materialized, leaving early adopters with basic functionality.
• Increasing lag and responsiveness issues over time, suggesting either hardware limitations or poor code optimization.
• Development resources focused on new features rather than improving existing systems that customers use daily.
• Potential inability to support advanced features due to computational constraints in early production vehicles.

The Tale of Two Trucks

Perhaps the most telling aspect of Criswell's story is the contrast with his wife's 2023 R1S, built approximately 50,000 units later. Her vehicle has been "nearly flawless," demonstrating Rivian's ability to learn from early production issues and implement improvements. This stark difference validates Criswell's advice to avoid the first 50,000 units while highlighting the rapid evolution typical of startup manufacturers.

Nicholas Dagostino, who took delivery in October 2022, offered another perspective on the early ownership experience.

Love mine, took delivery Oct. 2022, and it's been great. Yes, a few minor things to be expected of any vehicle that's a new line.

Dagostino's more positive experience, despite taking delivery just months after Criswell, suggests that even small production improvements can have significant impacts on reliability. His acceptance of "minor things" as expected for a new vehicle line reflects a different tolerance level for early adoption challenges.

The disparity between early and later production vehicles underscores both the risks and potential rewards of being an early adopter. While Criswell endured the frustrations of debugging a first-generation product, later customers benefited from the lessons learned through his experience and that of other early owners.

Criswell's journey with his Rivian R1T represents a microcosm of the broader challenges facing electric vehicle startups. While the company succeeded in creating a fundamentally capable and innovative product, the execution of details and support infrastructure revealed the complexity of automotive manufacturing. His experience serves as both a cautionary tale for potential early adopters and a roadmap for what Rivian needs to address to achieve long-term success. 

The fact that he still believes in the company's potential and expects the R2 to be a "massive success" demonstrates the enduring appeal of Rivian's vision, even when the execution falls short. For prospective buyers, his advice is clear: avoid the earliest production vehicles and ensure adequate warranty coverage. For Rivian, the challenge is clear: master the details that separate good concepts from great products, because in the automotive world, reliability issues can quickly erode customer confidence regardless of how revolutionary the underlying technology might be.

Have you considered an electric truck from a startup manufacturer? What factors would be most important to you in weighing the benefits of cutting-edge technology against the risks of early adoption? Share your thoughts on the electric truck market in the comments below.

Noah Washington is an automotive journalist based in Atlanta, Georgia. He enjoys covering the latest news in the automotive industry and conducting reviews on the latest cars. He has been in the automotive industry since 15 years old and has been featured in prominent automotive news sites. You can reach him on X and LinkedIn for tips and to follow his automotive coverage.